Oxidized collagen formulations for use with non-compatible pharmaceutical agents

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are oxidized collagen compositions wherein the thiomethyl group of one or more of the methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced with methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention is directed to novel collagen compositions and tomethods of using such compositions. In particular, the collagencompositions of this invention are directed to oxidized collagencompositions wherein the thiomethyl group of one or more of themethionine residues of the collagen has been replaced with methylsulfoxyand/or methylsulfonyl groups.

[0002] Surprisingly, the oxidized collagen compositions described hereinare compatible with pharmaceutical drugs which are otherwisenon-compatible with non-oxidized collagen. Accordingly, the oxidizedcollagen compositions described herein provide for improved drugdelivery, administration, clinical utility and/or therapeutic use ofcertain non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs, particularly cytotoxicdrugs, when used in combination with the oxidized collagen. In addition,the oxidized collagen compositions described herein will provide forimproved drug delivery when used with compatible pharmaceutical drugs.

REFERENCES

[0003] The following publications are cited in this application assuperscript numbers:

[0004]¹ Southard, et al., Drug Delivery Devices, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,553issued on May 7, 1991

[0005]² Luck, et al., Treatments Employing Drug-Containing Matrices forIntroduction into Cellular Lesion Areas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,913, issuedOct. 28, 1986

[0006]³ Jones, et al., Translucent Collagen Formulations with aCytotoxic Drug, U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,146, issued May 12, 1998

[0007] All of the above references are herein incorporated by referencein their entirety to the same extent as if each individual reference wasspecifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

STATE OF THE ART

[0008] Collagen is a well known biomaterial having many uses inmedicine, including, for example, use as a hemostat, use in soft tissueaugmentation, use for treatment of urinary incontinence, and use as adrug delivery platform. Examples of use of collagen as a drug deliveryplatform include collagen compositions comprising abenzo(c)phenanthridine alkaloid or a cytotoxic drug.^(1,2)

[0009] Collagen can be formulated with, for example, cytotoxic drugs,where the collagen is used as a drug delivery device to locallyadminister the drug to a patient while minimizing systemic uptake.^(2,3)In certain instances, the drug is compatible with the collagen for onlya limited period of time and subsequently becomes non-compatible withthe collagen, thereby inhibiting the effectiveness of the preparationand often adversely affecting its administration to the patient. Withoutbeing limited to any theory, it is believed that this non-compatiblityarises by undesirable reactions, such as cross-linking, between thenon-compatible drug and the collagen chains. Cisplatin, for example, hasa tendency to react with protein, nucleic acid, and other substanceswith nucleophilic groups. When cisplatin is combined into an aqueouscollagen gel, the resulting preparation becomes progressively, overtime, more rigid and inhomogeneous, and cisplatin recovery is decreased.It is further believed that the cisplatin reacts with nucleophilicgroups in the collagen resulting in collagen cross-linking.

[0010] In affecting the ability to form physically and chemically stablecollagen-based formulations, such reactions both impair the therapeuticactivity of the non-compatible pharmaceutical drug and change therheologic characteristics of the preparation, making the materialvariable in efficacy and difficult to administer.

[0011] Because of this non-compatibility, it is necessary to mixcisplatin with the collagen composition just prior to administration,and to complete the administration within several hours after mixing.

[0012] In one embodiment, this invention is directed to the discoverythat oxidation of the thiomethyl group in one or more methionineresidues in collagen to the corresponding methylsulfoxy ormethylsulfonyl group renders the resulting collagen composition morecompatible with otherwise non-compatible drugs. In this regard, collagengenerally exists as long, rod-shaped molecules that are comprised of atriple helix formed as either a homo- or heterotrimer from threepolypeptide chains. The primary structure is characterized byglycine-X-Y repeats, where a significant number of the X's are prolineor hydroxyproline and Y comprises other amino acid residues, includingmethionine and histidine residues. At physiological pH, the individualcollagen molecules self-assemble into microscopic or macroscopic fibrilsor networks, which provide the typical extracellular matrix scaffoldingexhibited by collagen. When collagen is used in drug deliveryapplications, fibrillar collagen can act as a thickening agent inaqueous systems, providing a viscous gel-like material. Collagen canalso be dried into pellet-like forms for use in sustained-releaseimplants.

[0013] Many pharmaceutical drugs are believed to be non-compatible foruse with collagen formulations because they contain functional groupsthat, over time, can participate in undesirable reactions with collagen,e.g., they can react with the methionine residues of collagen. Theseundesirable reactions can result in cross-linking between thenon-compatible drug and the collagen chains. As noted above, suchcross-linking significantly impairs the effectiveness of thecollagen/pharmaceutical drug composition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] This invention relates to oxidized collagen compositions whereinthe thiomethyl group of one or more of the methionine residues of thecollagen is replaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. Asnoted above, such compositions have improved compatibility withcytotoxic drugs such as cisplatin which drugs are otherwisenon-compatible upon prolonged contact with the collagen.

[0015] Accordingly, in one of its composition aspects, this invention isdirected to oxidized collagen wherein the thiomethyl group of one ormore of the methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.

[0016] Preferably, at least 20% of the methionine residues of thecollagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonylgroups. More preferably, at least 40% and still more preferably at least60% of the methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.

[0017] This invention is also directed to the discovery that replacementof one or more of the methionine residues in collagen with methylsulfoxyand/or methylsulfonyl groups prior to addition of a non-compatiblepharmaceutical drug reduces or prevents undesirable reactions, such ascross-linking, between the non-compatible drug and collagen therebyrendering the non-compatible drug more compatible with collagen. Withoutbeing limited to any theory, it is believed that replacement ofmethionine thiomethyl groups by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonylgroups reduces or prevents reactions between the sulfur nucleophile inthe methionine and non-compatible drugs. Also surprisingly andunexpectedly, this replacement does not substantially affect the abilityof the collagen molecules to form fibrils and, accordingly, does notaffect the properties of the collagen to act as a carrier for thepharmaceutical drug.

[0018] In addition, such a reduction in undesirable reactions alsopermits formulations comprising compatible drugs which, in some cases,may provide for one or more improved features such as improvedshelf-life, improved efficacy, and the like.

[0019] Accordingly, in another of its composition aspects, thisinvention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising:

[0020] a) oxidized collagen wherein the thiomethyl group of one or moreof the methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups; and

[0021] b) a pharmaceutical drug.

[0022] The pharmaceutical drug employed in these compositions can eitherbe compatible or non-compatible with non-oxidized collagen. However, thebenefits of oxidized collagen are most pronounced when the drug isotherwise non-compatible with non-oxidized collagen. Preferably, thepharmaceutical drug is a cytotoxic drug and more preferably is aplatinate.

[0023] This invention is also directed to the discovery that undesirablereactions between collagen and non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs arereduced when the formulation is acidified, i.e, when the pH of theformulation is lowered to less than about 4.5 (e.g., to pH 3.7) and morepreferably from about 2.5 to 4.5. It is believed that acidification ofthe collagen formulation protonates histidine residues in collagenreversing, reducing or preventing reactions between histidine residuesand non-compatible drugs. It has been found that the benefits ofacidification can be achieved either by acidification of the collagenformulation prior to or after the addition of a non-compatible drug.

[0024] It has been still further found that undesirable reactionsbetween collagen and non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs are reducedwhen the concentration of collagen used in the formulation is reduced.Preferably, the amount of collagen in the formulation is about 3% w/w orlower and more preferably from about 1% w/w to about 3% w/w.

[0025] The benefits of acidification of the collagen composition incombination with the pharmaceutical drug is achieved either alone or incombination with use of oxidized collagen. Accordingly, in another ofits composition aspects, this invention is directed to a pharmaceuticalcomposition comprising collagen and a pharmaceutical drug wherein the pHof said composition is less than about 4.5. Preferably, the pH of thecomposition is from about 2.5 to about 4.5 and more preferably is about3.7.

[0026] In another preferred embodiment, the collagen employed in theacidified collagen composition is oxidized collagen as described herein.

[0027] In one of its method aspects, this invention is directed to amethod for rendering non-compatible drugs compatible with collagen whichmethod comprises replacing one or more of the collagen's methioninethiomethyl groups with methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. Inone embodiment, this replacement may be achieved by contacting acollagen composition with an oxidizing agent under conditions whereinone or more of the collagen's methionine thiomethyl groups are convertedto methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. Suitable oxidizing agentsare well known in the art and preferably include hydrogen peroxide,meta-chloro perbenzoic acid, and the like.

[0028] Alternatively, oxidized collagen wherein one or more of thecollagen's methionine thiomethyl groups are replaced with methylsulfoxyand/or methylsulfonyl groups can be prepared by routine proteinchemistry. For example, standard solid phase synthesis can be used toinsert an oxidized methionine residue in place of the methionine residueinto the growing peptide.

[0029] The method described above may further include lowering the pH ofthe collagen composition to less than or equal to 3.7; and/or loweringthe concentration of the collagen in the formulation to about 3% w/w orlower.

[0030] In another of its method aspects, this invention is directed to amethod for treating neoplastic lesions or surrounding tissue whichmethod comprises introducing at the site of the lesion or tissuesurrounding the lesion a pharmaceutical composition comprising:

[0031] (a) a collagen composition selected from the group consisting ofoxidized collagen, collagen acidified to a pH of from about 2.5 to about4.5, and oxidized collagen acidified to a pH of from about 2.5 to about4.5; and

[0032] (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable cytotoxic drug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033]FIG. 1 illustrates a Fibrillogenesis Profile of Oxidized CollagenSolutions.

[0034] FIGS. 2A-B illustrates a comparison of the DSC Profiles ofNon-Oxidized and Oxidized Collagen Gels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] This invention is directed to novel collagen formulations adaptedfor use with pharmaceutical drugs (particularly non-compatiblepharmaceutical drugs) and methods for using such novel collagenformulations.

[0036] When used with non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs, the collagenformulations and methods described herein provide for improved drugdelivery, administration, clinical utility and/or therapeutic effect ofnon-compatible pharmaceutical drugs, particularly cytotoxic drugs. Inaddition, the collagen compositions described herein can be used withcompatible pharmaceutical agents. Prior to describing this invention infurther detail, the following terms will first be defined:

[0037] The phrases “non-compatible pharmaceutical drug” or“non-compatible drug” refer to one or more pharmaceutical drugs which,over time, participate in undesirable reactions, such as cross-linking,with un-modified collagen. Accordingly, these terms include drugs which,while initially compatible with unmodified collagen for a limited periodof time, become non-compatible over time with the unmodified collagen.

[0038] These undesirable reactions impair the drug delivery,administration, clinical utility and/or therapeutic use of thenon-compatible drug particularly those which have been stored forprolonged periods of time (e.g., greater than 24 hours). Crosslinking ofthe non-compatible drug with the collagen can be quantified by measuringthe force required to extrude a collagen gel through a needle at a fixeddelivery rate. The greater the degree of crosslinking, the moredifficult the collagen formulation will be to extrude. Examples ofnon-compatible pharmaceutical drugs include the well known platinatefamily of drugs including cisplatin.

[0039] The phrases “compatible pharmaceutical drug” or “compatible drug”refer to one or more pharmaceutical drugs whose reactions withunmodified collagen do not significantly impair the use of a collagenformulation comprising such a drug in combination with the unmodifiedcollagen. Examples of compatible pharmaceutical drugs includefluorouracil, methotrexate and the like.

[0040] The phrase “platinates” refers to cytotoxic drugs that containplatinum as a central atom. Examples of platinates include cisplatin,carboplatin, oxaliplatin, ormaplatin, iproplatin, enloplatin,nedaplatin, ZD0473 (cis-amminedichloro(2-methylpyridine)-platinum (II)),BBR3464 and the like.

[0041] The phrase “oxidized collagen” refers to collagen comprising atleast one methionine residue therein wherein the thiomethyl group of oneor more of the methionine residues of the collagen has been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. This replacement can occurby, for example, contacting a collagen composition with an oxidizingagent under conditions wherein one or more of the collagen's methioninethiomethyl groups are converted to methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonylgroups. Alternatively, this replacement can occur wherein one or more ofthe collagen's methionine thiomethyl groups are replaced withmethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups by routine protein chemistry.

[0042] Preferably, at least 20% of the thiomethyl groups of themethionine residues of the collagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxyand/or methylsulfonyl groups. More preferably, at least 40% and stillmore preferably at least 60% of the thiomethyl groups of the methionineresidues of the collagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxy and/ormethylsulfonyl groups.

[0043] The term “oxidation” refers to any method of oxidation of thecollagen formulation, including treatment of the collagen with hydrogenperoxide.

[0044] The term “acidification” refers to any method of lowering the pHof the collagen formulation either before or after combination with anon-compatible pharmaceutical drug. Preferably, acidification employs apharmaceutically acceptable acid to lower pH. Suitable pharmaceuticallyacceptable acids are well known in the art and include, by way ofexample only, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, citricacid, lactic acid, and the like.

[0045] The term “transition temperature” means the temperature where thecollagen in the aqueous collagen composition undergoes a phase change.The phase change is typically a change in the fibril size of thecollagen in the composition and can be readily determined by a peak in aconventional Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) scan of the aqueouscollagen composition. For purposes of this application, transitiontemperatures measured by DSC are determined under the followingconditions: heating at 10° C. per minute using a DSC instrumentavailable from TA Industries, New Castle, Del., USA.

[0046] In one aspect of the present invention, the collagen formulationsare adapted for use with non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs byoxidation. Without being limited to any theory, it is believed thatoxidation of the collagen replaces at least a portion of the thiomethylgroups of the collagen's methionine residues with methylsulfoxy and/ormethylsulfonyl groups thereby reducing or preventing reactions betweenthe nucleophilic sulfur of the un-oxidized thiomethyl group withnon-compatible pharmaceutical drugs. In addition, the oxidized collagenformulations of the present invention can be used with compatiblepharmaceutical drugs.

[0047] To achieve the benefits of the invention, it is not critical thatall of the thiomethyl groups are replaced by methylsulfoxy and/ormethylsulfonyl groups. Replacement of any portion of the thiomethylgroups reduces the number of undesired interactions between collagen andthe non-compatible drug. Preferably, at least 20% of the thiomethylgroups of the methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. More preferably, at least40% and still more preferably at least 60% of the thiomethyl groups ofthe methionine residues of the collagen have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.

[0048] In order to avoid impairing the therapeutic effect of thepharmaceutical drug, it is important that oxidation of the collagenoccurs prior to the addition of the drug.

[0049] In another aspect of the present invention, the collagenformulation is acidified, i.e., the pH of the collagen formulation islowered. Without being limited to any theory, it is believed thatacidification of the collagen formulation protonates histidine residuesreversing, reducing or preventing undesirable reactions between thehistidine residues and non-compatible drugs.

[0050] To achieve the benefits of the invention, it is not critical thatall of the histidine residues in the collagen are protonated. Anylowering of the pH of the collagen formulation below the neutral pH of 7decreases the undesired interactions between the collagen and thenon-compatible drug. However, in a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the pH of the collagen composition is lowered to between 2.5and 4.5, and more preferably is about pH 3.7.

[0051] Compositions

[0052] In one embodiment, the compositions described herein compriseoxidized collagen, a pharmaceutical drug and a physiologicallyacceptable aqueous medium in which the collagen is dispersed. The drugmay be dissolved, dispersed or complexed with the collagen.

[0053] The oxidized collagen employed in the compositions describedherein is derived from collagen which, in turn, can be derived from anymammalian host source, such as bovine, porcine or human and can also beproduced by recombinant DNA or transgenic production techniques. Thecollagen employed may be natural collagen or may be modified, such astropocollagen, atelocollagen, or the like. The collagen may benon-immunogenic, immunogenic, or only slightly immunogenic.

[0054] Various methods of preparing collagen or derivatives thereof inpurified form for administration to a mammalian host are known in theart. Suitable methods include those recited in, for example, U.S. Pat.No. 3,949,073 and references cited therein. Of interest is bovinecollagen which is purified and is obtained from young cattle. Isolationand purification will normally involve dispersion or precipitation fromvarious media, e.g., dilute acetic acid. In some situations, xenogeneiccollagen is employed to enhance an immunogenic response in the area ofinjection or immunogenic adjuvants may be employed. Additionally,collagen suitable for use herein is also commercially available from anumber of vendors.

[0055] As noted above, in this embodiment, collagen is oxidized prior toaddition of the pharmaceutical drug. In one embodiment, oxidation ofcollagen is accomplished by contacting collagen, typically in an aqueoussolution, with an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide. The degreeof oxidation is controlled by the amount of oxidizing agent employed,the contact time and the contact temperature. Preferably, an excess(typically from about 2 to about 50 stoichiometric equivalents) ofoxidizing agent is employed based on the total number of methionineresidues in the collagen. The oxidation reaction is likewise preferablyconducted for a period of from about 0.1 to about 100 hours, and morepreferably from about 1 to about 10 hours, at a temperature of fromabout 0° to about 40° C. At the completion of the reaction, oxidizedcollagen is recovered by conventional means.

[0056] The specific concentration of oxidizing agent and reactionconditions are selected in order that at least about 20% of themethionine residues in the collagen are replaced by methylsulfoxy and/ormethylsulfonyl groups. More preferably, at least about 40% and stillmore preferably at least about 60% of the methionine residues of thecollagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonylgroups. The specific selection of concentration and reaction conditionsbased on these parameters are well within the skill of the art.

[0057] In one embodiment, sufficient amounts of the oxidized collagenare employed in the aqueous composition to provide for an oxidizedcollagen concentration of from about 5 to about 100 mg/mL and preferablyfrom about 5 to about 75 mg/mL. The specific amount of oxidized collagenemployed is selected relative to the desired viscosity of the oxidizedcollagen composition such that the composition will flow under moderatepressure, but not move significantly after being positioned at aparticular site in the patient. Preferably, sufficient oxidized collagenis employed such that the composition will have a viscosity of fromabout 5,000 to about 20,000 centipoise at 20° C. and at a shear rate of15.8 sec⁻¹.

[0058] In another embodiment, the amount of oxidized collagen in theformulation is lowered to about 3% w/w or lower and more preferably, tofrom about 1% w/w to about 3% w/w.

[0059] In another embodiment, an acidified aqueous collagen compositionis employed in combination with the pharmaceutical drug. In thisembodiment, the acidified collagen composition employs a pharmaceuticaldrug and either collagen, oxidized collagen or a mixture thereof at theconcentrations recited above. In addition, a sufficient amount of apharmaceutically acceptable acid is added to the composition to adjustthe pH to about 2.5 to 4.5. The addition of the pharmaceuticallyacceptable acid is typically conducted at room temperature and theconcentration of the collagen and/or oxidized collagen employed in thecomposition is adjusted so that the desired concentration is achievedupon addition of the acid.

[0060] Whether using oxidized collagen, acidified collagen, or acidifiedand oxidized collagen, the pharmaceutical drug is used individually orin combination, depending upon the nature of the drug, the therapeuticuse of the drug, and whether cooperative action is pharmaceuticallyindicated. Preferably, the drug is a non-compatible pharmaceutical drugsuch as a platinum-based drug, e.g., cisplatin(cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)). In a particularly preferredembodiment, the cisplatin is employed at a concentration of greater thanabout 0.1 mg/mL and still more preferably from greater than about 1.0mg/mL to about 10.0 mg/mL in the composition.

[0061] The pharmaceutical drug may be unbound to the collagen or boundthrough non-covalent binding such as complexation, salt formation,coordination complexes, or the like, but any binding should be readilyreversible and should not result in significant diminution of thephysiological activity of the drug. The pharmaceutical drug may also bemodified by, for example, introduction of bonds which allow forenzymatic cleavage, e.g., hydrolysis, of the drug from a carrier otherthan collagen.

[0062] These modifications will depend upon the individualpharmaceutical drug, varying the solubility of the drug in the aqueousmedium and providing for non-covalent interactions with the collagen. Inaddition, various physiologically acceptable bulking drugs orconcentrating drugs may be optionally employed which serve to providefor drug and protein interactions, with resulting reduction in the rateof drug release. Illustrative materials include inorganic substances,such as hydroxyapatite and organic substances such as carbohydrates,e.g., dextran, agarose, methyl cellulose and cellulose.

[0063] The compositions of this invention may still further includeother drugs in combination with the pharmaceutical drugs so as to reducephysiological insult and/or to restrict regional vasculature, either asto growth and/or passage opening, e.g., vasoconstrictive orsympathomimetic drugs. These drugs may include catecholamines, e.g.,epinephrine and norepinephrine, dipivefrin, epinephryl borate, ergotalkaloids, prostaglandins, angiotensin or the like. Other agents foraffecting tissue architecture include enzymes which can injure thestroma, such as the peptidases papain, chymopapain, trypsin, amylase,collagenase and chymotrypsin. Or drugs affecting cellular permeabilitymay be employed, such as non-ionic detergents, e.g., polysorbate,amphotericin B, dimethylsulfoxide, and anaesthetics such as procaine. Ina particularly preferred embodiment, epinephrine is employed inconjunction with the collagen composition.

[0064] Besides xenogeneic collagen, other materials may be included toenhance an immunogenic response, e.g., proliferation and invasion ofmacrophage, helper T-cells, etc. Illustrative adjuvants includeCorynebacterium parvum, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin cell wall or cell wallskeleton preparations, Mycobacterim bovis and the like. See for example,Miyata et al., Cancer Res., 43:4670-4675 (1983); Bier et al., Arch.Otorhinolaryngol, 236:245-255 (1982); and Mehanjhlin et al., CancerRes., 38:1311-1316 (1978) which references are incorporated by referencein their entirety.

[0065] For enhancing cytotoxic activity various adjuvant materials maybe incorporated into the collagen, such as radioactive pellets, e.g.,radionucleides technetium or iridium; radiation sensitizers, e.g.,misonidazole; repair inhibitors, e.g., methylated xanthines;bioreductive drugs, which are activated only in hypoxic cells;immunomodifiers, such as interferons, lymphokines, such asinterleukin-2, tumor growth inhibitors, such as tumor necrosis factor,transforming growth factor-β, and the like, and/or angiographic contrastmedia.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the collagen (including oxidizedcollagen, acidified collagen or oxidized and acidified collagen),pharmaceutical drug and certain optional additives are uniformlydispersed in a physiologically acceptable aqueous medium, such assaline, phosphate buffered saline, distilled water, etc. to form acollagen composition. The aqueous medium will be sufficient to providefor an amorphous dispersion capable of flowing under mild pressure.Usually, the liquid aqueous medium will be at least 90 weight percent ofthe entire composition, more usually at least 95% weight percent,usually not more than about 99.5 weight percent, so as to provide aflowable mixture. The amount will vary depending upon the nature of thepharmaceutical drug, the presence of other materials and the like.

[0067] Optional additives can also be included in the composition for avariety of purposes. These additives will for the most part impartproperties which protect the stability of the composition, control thepH, or the like. Illustrative agents include phosphate and acetatebuffers, methyl or propyl paraben, polyethylene glycols, and the like.These agents will generally be present in less than about 2 weightpercent of the total composition, usually less than about 1 weightpercent, and individually may vary from 0 to about 1 weight percent.

[0068] The compositions described herein can be prepared by combiningthe collagen, the pharmaceutical drug and the physiologically acceptableaqueous medium in a sterile environment. Optional additives may also beincluded at this time although certain additives such asvasoconstrictive or sympathomimetic drugs, due to stability problems,may preferably be incorporated into the composition just prior to use.The collagen will be provided in a convenient form, usually admixed withat least a portion of the total aqueous medium to be employed. Thecomposition will be sufficiently workable that upon admixture, a uniformdispersion can be obtained. The pharmaceutical drug may be added to thecollageneous dispersion with agitation to ensure the uniform dispersionof the drug. Optional materials, as appropriate, may be addedconcomitantly or sequentially. Sterility will usually be maintainedusing aseptic conditions.

[0069] The subject compositions are useful in the chemotherapeutic(cytotoxic) treatment of a wide variety of neoplastic lesions involvingsolid abnormal tumors, cellular growth, or adjacent tissues which maycontain abnormal tumor cells. The composition is injected into thelesion, e.g., tumor or lesion area (tissue adjacent to the lesion), orin those situations where the tumor has been removed, tissue adjacent tothe previously removed tumor. The composition is flowable for injection,but provides for stable placement, once injected into the tissue. Thatis, once injected the collagen resists mechanical disruption and doesnot migrate significantly. After injection, the cytotoxic drug isreleased into the immediate environment, so as to prevent substantialtransportation of the drug to other sites, where its cytotoxic activityis undesirable.

[0070] Illustrative tumors include carcinomas, sarcomas and melanomas,such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, softtissue sarcoma, solar keratoses, Kaposi's sarcoma, cutaneous malignantlymphoma, Bowen's disease, Wilm's tumor, hepatomas, colorectals cancer,brain tumors, mycosis fungoides, Hodgkin's lymphoma, polycythemia vera,chronic granulocytic leukemia, lymphomas, oat cell sarcoma, and thelike. Tumors may also include benign growths such as condylomataacuminata (genital warts) and moles and common warts.

[0071] The subject composition will be administered to a tumor toprovide a cytotoxic amount of a cytotoxic drug at the tumor site. Theamount of cytotoxic drug administered to the tumor site will preferablyrange from about 0.01 to 100 mg/kg of host, more usually about 0.5 to300 mg/kg of host, depending upon the nature of the drug, size of thetumor, and other considerations. When employed, the vasoconstrictiveagents will generally be present in from about 1 to about 50 weightpercent of the cytotoxic drug. With each drug in each tumor, thespecific amount of cytotoxic drug employed will depend on factors suchas the type and/or nature of the tumor to be treated, the cytotoxic drugto be used, the relative mobility of the cytotoxic drug, and the like.Such factors are well within the skill of the art.

[0072] Unless otherwise stated, all temperatures are in degrees Celsius.Also, in these examples, unless otherwise defined below, theabbreviations employed have their generally accepted meaning: cisplatin,CDDP = cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) CNBr = cyanogen bromide Da =Dalton DSC = differential scanning calorimetry g = gram G = gaugeHPLC/SEC = size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography M =Molar mg = milligrams mL = milliliters mm = millimeter N = Newton OD =optical density Pa = Pascal RT = room temperature SDS-PAGE = sodiumdodecyl sulfate mediated polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis sec = second% w/w = percent weight to weight

EXAMPLES

[0073] In the following examples, Example 1 illustrates the preparationand characterization of oxidized collagen.

[0074] Example 2 illustrates the reduced reactivity of cisplatin withoxidized collagen compared to non-oxidized collagen.

[0075] Example 3 illustrates further improvement in CDDP/collagen mixedgel stability after formulation at a low pH in a gel with reducedcollagen content.

Example 1 Preparation of Oxidized Collagen

[0076] A. Preparation of Oxidized Collagen

[0077] Type I bovine collagen (containing a small amount of Type IIIcollagen) was obtained from a ground suspension of young bovine hides byacid treatment, pepsin digestion, removal of solids, andultrafiltration/diafiltration. This resulted in a 0.6% (w/v) collagensolution in 10 mM HCl.

[0078] Methionine residues in this collagen solution were oxidized byslowly adding 0.86 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide to 800 mL of the collagensolution and mixing. This combination resulted in a 25-fold molar excessof peroxide to total methionine residues in the collagen. The mixturewas stirred at room temperature for one hour and then stored at 2-8° C.for approximately 60 hours.

[0079] Collagen fibers were then precipitated by adding one volume of0.2M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 10.7, to 9 volumes of the oxidizedcollagen solution (the final pH was approximately 7.2).

[0080] After stirring for 2 hours, the precipitate was collected bycentrifugation. The collagen pellet was washed twice with approximately600 mL of 20 mM sodium phosphate/9 mM NaCl (pH 7.2) to remove residualhydrogen peroxide. The washed oxidized-collagen concentrate(approximately 85 mg collagen per gram of slurry) was then furtherformulated by addition of water and 0.6 M sodium phosphate/0.27 M NaClbuffer (pH 6.8) to yield a homogeneous gel with a target composition of65 mg/g oxidized-collagen (6.5% collagen gel), 0.1 M sodium phosphateand 0.045 M NaCl.

[0081] A non-oxidized collagen gel with the same final composition wasproduced from the same lot of 0.6% collagen solution by leaving out thehydrogen peroxide step.

[0082] B. Comparison of CNBr Cleavage of Oxidized and Non-OxidizedCollagen

[0083] The extent of oxidation in the oxidized collagen formulation wascharacterized by a cyanogen bromide cleavage assay. Cyanogen bromidecleaves the polypeptide chain at methionine residues, but does notcleave at methionine residues in which the thiomethyl group has beenoxidized to methylsulfoxy or methylsulfonyl.

[0084] Oxidized and non-oxidized collagen samples of both the 0.6%collagen solutions and the 6.5% collagen gels were subjected to cyanogenbromide cleavage, and the resulting fragments were separated by SDS-PAGE(10-20% tris glycine gel) and stained with Coomassie Blue to look fordifferences in the fragmentation patterns. Non-oxidized collagensolution and gel both showed numerous bands in the 25-80 kDa molecularweight range and no bands above about 90 kDa, demonstrating efficientcleavage by CNBr. The CNBr digests of oxidized collagen solution and gellacked the lower molecular weight bands found in the non-oxidizedcontrols, and instead showed bands above 100 kDa. These results indicatethat peroxide treatment oxidized most of the methionine residues in thecollagen.

[0085] C. Comparison of Optical Rotation of Oxidized and Non-Oxidized0.6% Collagen Solutions

[0086] In order to determine whether oxidized collagen would havesimilar physical and chemical properties to non-oxidized collagen,Applicants measured the specific optical rotation of each formulation.

[0087] Type I and Type III collagens are triple helical structures inwhich each triple helical monomer contains three protein chains. Thehighly ordered triple helical structure gives collagen a uniquely highoptical activity, and unwinding of the helix results in loss of thisoptical activity.

[0088] As shown in TABLE I, specific optical rotation measurements weretaken for oxidized and non-oxidized 0.6% collagen solutions (prepared asdescribed above in Section A). Both the oxidized and the non-oxidizedcollagen solutions demonstrated similar specific optical rotations,showing that both solutions had a similar triple helix content. Thisdata indicates that the triple helix structure of the collagen is notsubstantially altered by oxidation. TABLE I Physical Properties ofOxidized and Non-Oxidized 0.6% Collagen Solutions Non-oxidized OxidizedCollagen Collagen Specific optical rotation −358.4 −360.1 (°/dm · g/mL)Oligomer content by 30% 36% (HPLC/SEC)

[0089] D. Comparison of Oligomer Content of Oxidized and Non-Oxidized0.6% Collagen Solutions

[0090] When isolated from bovine skin, pepsinized type I and type IIIcollagen exists as a mixture of collagen monomers and oligomers. Theoligomer content of the preparation can have an effect on itsfiber-forming properties. In order to determine whether oxidizedcollagen would have similar physical and chemical properties tonon-oxidized collagen, Applicants measured the oligomer content ofoxidized and non-oxidized 0.6% collagen formulations (prepared asdescribed above in Section A).

[0091] Using size exclusion HPLC, the monomer peak can be separated fromthe oligomer peak, allowing quantitation of the relative abundances ofmonomer and oligomer. As shown in TABLE I, the oxidized collagenpreparation had a slightly higher oligomer content than the nonoxidizedcollagen preparation.

[0092] E. Comparison of Fibrillogenesis of Oxidized and Non-Oxidized0.6% Collagen Solution

[0093] A fibrillogenesis assay was conducted to measure the ability ofcollagen to form fibrils upon neutralization, in order to determinewhether oxidized collagen would have similar physical and chemicalproperties to non-oxidized collagen. This assay was performed on theoxidized and non-oxidized 0.6% collagen solution prepared as describedin Section A.

[0094] In this fibrillogenesis assay, 9 volumes of either oxidized ornon-oxidized collagen solution (0.5 mg/mL in 10 mM HCl) were placed in acuvette and were neutralized by addition of one volume of 0.2M sodiumphosphate, pH 10.7. As the fibers formed, the solution became moreturbid, and this turbidity was monitored using a spectrophotometer at awavelength of 313 nm. As shown in FIG. 1, the fibrillogenesis profile ofthe oxidized collagen solution was similar to that of the non-oxidizedcontrol.

[0095] F. Comparison of Physical Properties of Oxidized and Non-Oxidized6.5% Collagen Gels

[0096] As described in Section A above, 65 mg/g (6.5%) collagen gelswere prepared from oxidized collagen solution and from non-oxidizedcollagen solution. The physical and biochemical properties of these gelswere compared by measuring viscosity, optical rotation, differentialscanning calorimetry (DSC) profile, and oligomer content (by HPLC). Asshown in TABLE II, the viscosity and specific optical rotation of theoxidized collagen gel were similar to data obtained for the non-oxidizedcollagen gel. The DSC transition temperatures of both oxidized andnon-oxidized collagen were similar at 46° C. and 54° C. As shown inFIGS. 2A-B, the DSC profiles are generally similar. In addition, asshown in TABLE II, the peak height ratios for the two thermaltransitions were generally similar. These results suggest that theoxidized collagen gel contained fewer large fibrils and moremicrofibrils and nonfibrillar collagen than the non-oxidized collagengel. In this respect, the DSC results were consistent with thefibrillogenesis results presented above. TABLE II Physical Properties ofOxidized and Non-Oxidized 6.5% Collagen Gels Non-Oxidized OxidizedCollagen Collagen Viscosity (mPa · sec @ 15.8/sec) 16823 19013 Specificrotation (°/dm · g/mL)  −345  −337 DSC transition temperatures 46°C./54° C. 46° C./54° C. DSC peak height ratio (46° C./54° C.) 1.0 1.6Oligomer content (HPLC/SEC) 43% 47%

[0097] In summary, reaction of collagen with mild hydrogen peroxideresulted in oxidation of most of the collagen methionyl residues. Theresulting oxidized collagen solution was similar in triple helixcontent, oligomer content, and fiber forming characteristics to thenon-oxidized collagen control solution. When this oxidized collagen wasprecipitated and formulated into a gel, the physical and biochemicalproperties of this gel were similar to a gel produced from non-oxidizedcollagen solution.

Example 2 Demonstration of Reduced Reactivity of Cisplatin with OxidizedCollagen

[0098] The purpose of this example is to demonstrate the reducedreactivity of cisplatin with collagen gels prepared with oxidizedcollagen. In this example, oxidized and non-oxidized 6.5% collagen gelswere prepared as described in Section A of Example 1, except that theoxidized collagen formulation was obtained by spiking the collagen withmethionine sulfoxide, instead of subjecting the collagen to hydrogenperoxide. By spiking the collagen with methionine sulfoxide, many of themethionine residues which would normally be present in the collagen arereplaced with oxidized methionine sulfoxide.

[0099] The gels were individually mixed with a CDDP suspension, andstored at room temperature for 24 hours. The resulting CDDP/collagengels (containing 4 mg/ml of CDDP) were analyzed to measure CDDP recoveryand extrusion force. The results are reported in TABLE III.

[0100] CDDP recovery was measured by a strong anion-exchange HPLC methodafter dissolution of the CDDP-containing gel in dilute hydrochloricacid.

[0101] Extrusion force was measured as the force needed to extrude thegel through a 22 G needle for a prolonged period of time, i.e., severalhours. A gel with an extrusion force of less than 15 Newtons (15 N) iseasily injected into a tumor through a 22 G needle, while 30 N requiresconsiderable effort and 50 N is not practical.

[0102] The CDDP/oxidized-collagen gel demonstrated a higher recovery ofCDDP (100%) than the non-oxidized collagen gel (94%). In addition, alsoas shown in TABLE III, the CDDP/oxidized-collagen gel remained easilyextrudible (through a 22 G needle) for a prolonged period of timerelative to the corresponding CDDP/non-oxidized collagen gel. TABLE IIIEffects of Collagen Oxidation on Syringeability of CDDP Gels ExtrusionForce (Newtons) ± SD Collagen CDDP Content 5.5 hr 24 hr Non-Oxidizednone  9.2 ± 0.23 11.5 ± 0.29 Oxidized none 10.6 ± 0.24 11.6 ± 0.24Non-Oxidized 4 mg/mL 36.7 ± 2.70 >50 Oxidized 4 mg/mL 11.5 ± 0.17 30.2 ±0.45

Example 3 Further Improvement in CDDP/Collagen Mixed Gel Stability AfterFormulation at Low pH in a Gel with Reduced Collagen Content

[0103] The purpose of this example is to demonstrate the reduction inundesirable reactions between collagen formulations and CDDP when thecollagen and CDDP are formulated at a low pH in a gel with a reducedcollagen content.

[0104] As noted above, it is believed that some of the undesirablereactions between non-compatible pharmaceutical drugs and collagen aredue to reactions between the non-compatible drug, such as CDDP, and thecollagen's histidyl residues. Applicants have found that this reactionis readily reversible under acidic conditions. At pH 6.5 and above, theimidazole nitrogens of histidine are weak nucleophiles which can reactwith cisplatin. Protonation of the imidazole ring below the pK (pH 6.5)make the imidazole ring much less nucleophilic, thereby diminishing itsreactivity with CDDP. In addition, since CDDP loss is dependent on thecollagen concentration, further formulation improvement is made byreducing the collagen content of the mixed gel.

[0105] A. Preparation and Measurement of Physical Properties of Oxidizedand Non-Oxidized 3% Collagen Gels at pH 3.7 and pH 7

[0106] Oxidized and non-oxidized collagen concentrates were formulatedto produce 6% collagen gels (pH 7) in a method similar to that describedabove. Aliquots of these gels were then mixed with an equal weight of100 mM phosphoric acid/45 mM NaCl (pH 1.6) to produce 3% collagen gelsat a final pH of 3.7. Separate aliquots were formulated with 100 mMsodium phosphate/45 mM NaCl (pH 7) to produce 3.0% gels at a final pH of7. The physical properties of these four 3% collagen gels were measuredand are summarized in TABLE IV.

[0107] The physical appearance of the gels was observed. Both of the pH3.7 gels were clear and colorless, while the pH 7 gels were white andopaque. Over time, the pH 7, oxidized collagen gel remained uniform inconsistency but became slightly less opaque after 4 to 24 hours, whilethe pH 7, non-oxidized gel became rigid and highly aggregated over thesame time interval. Over time, the pH 3.7, oxidized collagen gelremained a uniform, clear gel throughout the 24 hour period, while thepH 3.7, non-oxidized gel became noticeably aggregated after 24 hours.

[0108] The viscosity of the gels were measured at 20° C. by cone andplate viscometry on a Brookfield Model DV-III HB digital viscometer. Allfour gels had similar viscosities.

[0109] The syringeability or extrusion force for each gel was assessedby measuring the amount of force required to extrude the gel through a1″ 22 G needle. All four gels were easily extrudible.

[0110] The DSC profile for all four gels was also measured. For both pH3.7 gels, the DSC profile displayed a single endotherm at about 42° C.,indicative of a non-fibrillar character. The pH 7 gels displayed two DSCendotherms, one at about 45° C. and one at about 52° C., indicative of amore fibrillar structure.

[0111] In summary, the oxidized and non-oxidized gels were very similarin each of the measured physical characteristics at each pH. TABLE IVPhysical Properties of Oxidized and Non-Oxidized 3% (w/w) Collagen GelsFormulated at pH 3.7 or pH 7.0 Oxidized Oxidized Non-OxidizedNon-Oxidized Gel Gel Characteristic gel, pH 7.0 gel, pH 3.7 pH 7.0 pH3.7 Physical white, opaque clear, colorless white, opaque clear,appearance colorless Viscosity 11,149 14,533 11,348 12,543 (mPa · sec) @15.8/sec Syringeability 9.0 11.2 9.2 10.1 (extrusion force, N) DSCtransition 45.1° C. 42.6° C. 45.3° C. 42.0° C. temperatures 52.5° C.52.7° C. Measured pH 7.05 3.75 7.02 3.69

[0112] B. Preparation and Measurement of Physical Properties of Oxidizedand Non-Oxidized 3% Collagen Gels at pH 3.7 and pH 7.0 formulated withCDDP

[0113] Lyophilized CDDP was dissolved at 1 mg/mL in 10 mM acetate, pH 4.Four grams of each of the 3.0% collagen gel preparations described inSection A above were mixed with 4 mL of the 1 mg/mL CDDP solution tomake mixed gels containing 0.5 mg/mL CDDP in 1.5% (w/w) collagen. Atvarious times after mixing, these gels were sampled and assessed forappearance, pH, viscosity and syringeability.

[0114] The syringeability or extrusion force of each gel was measured,as shown in TABLE V. At each pH, the oxidized collagen gels remainedmore syringeable than the corresponding non-oxidized gels. Over time,particularly at the 24 hour measurement, the pH 3.7 gels generallyremained more syringeable than the pH 7.0 gels. At the 24 hour mark, theoxidized collagen pH 3.7 gel evidenced the lowest extrusion force. TABLEV Syringeabiity of CDDP Gels Formulated with Oxidized and Non-OxidizedCollagen Gels at pH 3.7 and 7.0 Syringeability(N) Non-Oxidized OxidizedCollagen Collagen Time (hr) pH 7.0 pH 3.7 pH 7.0 pH 3.7 0 6.0 8.8 7.38.0 2 11.0 9.0 7.8 7.7 4 13.9 9.4 7.7 7.6 6 19.7 10.0 7.7 7.7 24  >5037.1 8.9 7.9

[0115] The viscosity of each gel was measured as shown in TABLE VI. Theviscosity of the gels were measured at 20° C. by cone and plateviscometry on a Brookfield Model DV-III HB digital viscometer. This datademonstrates that the viscosity of the oxidized collagen gels were morestable over time than the corresponding non-oxidized gels. Inparticular, the oxidized collagen gel at pH 3.7 was particularly stableover time. TABLE VI Viscosity of CDDP Gels Formulated with Oxidized orNon-Oxidized Collagen Gels at pH 3.7 or 7.0 Viscosity (mPa · sec)Non-Oxidized Oxidized Collagen Collagen Time pH 7.0 pH 3.7 pH 7.0 pH 3.70 2504 3363 2741 2691 2 3168 3600 2653 2753 4 1582 4597 2691 2716 24 6926 1445 3737 3077

[0116] Finally, the stability of CDDP in the CDDP gels formulated withoxidized and non-oxidized collagen gels at pH 3.7 and pH 7.0 wasmeasured over time. CDDP recovery was measured by a stronganion-exchange HPLC method after dissolution of the CDDP-containing gelin dilute hydrochloric acid. The results are shown in TABLE VII. Thecisplatin stability was surprisingly and unexpectedly significantlyimproved in formulations with collagen which had been oxidized andacidified (i.e., formulated at a lower pH). After 21 days at 5° C., CDDPcontent in the non-oxidized, pH 7 collagen formulation dropped to 25% ofits initial content. In contrast, after 21 days, the CDDP content of theoxidized, pH 3.7 collagen formulation was 90% of its initial content.TABLE VII Stability of CDDP in CDDP Gels Formulated with Oxidixed orNon-Oxidized Collagen Gels at pH 3.7 or pH 7.0 CDDP Content (% ofinitial) Time Non-Oxidized Oxidized (days) Collagen Collagen at 5° C. pH7.0 pH 3.7 pH 7.0 pH 3.7 0 100 100 100 100 0.17 93.6 93.3 101.2 98.70.29 89.3 90.3 100.2 100.0 1 77.8 80.7 95.9 99.8 2 45.8 70.9 95.8 99.8 439.9 61.0 90.0 97.2 7 36.4 31.2 88.2 96.3 14 24.9 35.2 82.5 94.0 21 25.031.2 75.5 92.2

What is claimed is:
 1. Oxidized collagen wherein the thiomethyl group ofone or more of the methionine residues of the collagen have beenreplaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.
 2. Apharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) oxidized collagen wherein thethiomethyl group of one or more of the methionine residues of thecollagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonylgroups; and (b) a pharmaceutical drug.
 3. The pharmaceutical compositionof claim 2, wherein at least 20% of the thiomethyl groups have beenreplaced by methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.
 4. Thepharmaceutical composition of claim 3, wherein at least 40% of thethiomethyl groups have been replaced by methylsulfoxy and/ormethylsulfonyl groups.
 5. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 4,wherein at least 60% of the thiomethyl groups have been replaced bymethylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups.
 6. The pharmaceuticalcomposition of claim 2, wherein the pharmaceutical drug is compatiblewith non-oxidized collagen.
 7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim2, wherein the pharmaceutical drug is non-compatible with non-oxidizedcollagen.
 8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) collagen,oxidized collagen wherein the thiomethyl group of one or more of themethionine residues of the collagen have been replaced by methylsulfoxyand/or methylsulfonyl groups or a mixture thereof; and (b) apharmaceutical drug. wherein the pH of the pharmaceutical composition isless than about 4.5.
 9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 8,wherein the pH of the collagen is from about 2.5 to 4.5.
 10. Thepharmaceutical composition of claims 2 or 8, wherein the concentrationof collagen in the composition is about 3% w/w or lower.
 11. Thepharmaceutical composition of claim 10, wherein the concentration of thecollagen in the composition is from about 1% w/w to about 3% w/w.
 12. Amethod for rendering non-compatible drugs compatible with collagen whichmethod comprises replacing one or more of the collagen's methioninethiomethyl groups with methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein the replacement is achieved bycontacting a collagen composition with an oxidizing agent underconditions wherein one or more of the collagen's methionine thiomethylgroups are converted to methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups. 14.The method of claim 13, wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from thegroup consisting of hydrogen peroxide and meta-chloro perbenzoic acid.15. The method of claim 12, wherein the replacement is achieved byprotein chemistry.
 16. A method for rendering non-compatible drugscompatible with collagen which method comprises lowering the pH of thecollagen composition to less than or equal to about 4.5.
 17. The methodof claim 16, which further comprises lowering the pH of the collagen toabout 2.5 to about 4.5.
 18. A method for treating neoplastic lesions orsurrounding tissue which method comprises introducing at the site of thelesion or tissue surrounding the lesion a pharmaceutical compositioncomprising: (a) a collagen composition selected from the groupconsisting of oxidized collagen, collagen acidified to a pH of fromabout 2.5 to about 4.5, and oxidized collagen acidified to a pH of fromabout 2.5 to about 4.5; and (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable cytotoxicdrug.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cytotoxic drug is aplatinate.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the platinate is selectedfrom the group consisting of cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin,ormaplatin, iproplatin, enloplatin, nedaplatin,cis-amminedichloro(2-methylpyridine)-platinum (II), and BBR3464.
 21. Amethod for rendering non-compatible drugs compatible with collagen whichmethod comprises replacing one or more of the collagen's methioninethiomethyl groups with methylsulfoxy and/or methylsulfonyl groups andlowering the pH of the collagen composition to less than or equal toabout 4.5.